


Why you should always ask questions before making decisions.

by Bentje



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Gen, Girl Power, M/M, Minor Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Minor Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, One Shot, Rated T for language, Stealing, Stealing is not good this author does not think stealing is good, TEENS BEING ANNOYING, This is like placed in the 1950s just in case anyones wondering i‘m a sucker for that, beverly been knew, i don‘t know where i‘m going with this, like uck me, this is a drabble i repeat this is a drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 22:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15277329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bentje/pseuds/Bentje
Summary: One of the Losers decides to act upon his ideas and it does not end well for all of them (what‘s new?).





	Why you should always ask questions before making decisions.

**Author's Note:**

> Ehm, I beta-ed this myself, don‘t expect my finest work of creation. also everyones hating on richard in this one lmao. (And i‘m a shitty person with the ' ' things :/)

The pen hadn‘t been worth stealing. It was Richie who decides it would be.

It started on a rather sunny day in the last week of August, succeeding in asking their parents to let them buy something in the stores around Derry, the Losers decided to meet after school to head to town together. Eddie and Stan had already been waiting outside for a bit when Mike, Bill and Beverly joined them, Mike and Beverly talking in a frenzy. “Look all I‘m saying is we could buy something better for all of us if we just throw together.“

“And I‘m saying that that‘s a great idea that won‘t be considered that great by everyone.“

Without missing a beat Beverly threw herself onto Stans shoulder and cried “Stanny, why, don‘t you think you could do a favour for your one and only Beverly?“ Before Stan could even answer she glared at him.

“And do remember that precious book about night active birds I bought you.“

Without missing a beat Stan answered. “I guess we‘ll just buy something for all of us“ He gave her a grin that could have been called a hideous grimace.

“It doesn‘-n‘t matter now a-anyw-way, as long a-as the r-rest isn‘t here.“

Eddie who had only cared to listen didn‘t like the idea of buying something for everyone and he is sure Stan wouldn‘t have liked the idea as well if it weren‘t for Beverly. It wasn‘t as if his mother gave him money every single week and even the times he managed to get more than the average someone else in the group (Richie) would ask to lend some. Eddie was a good friend, but he liked to keep his money for himself. Stan, too, normally.

“Ben has to work on an art project so I don‘t know when he‘ll be here, what about Richard O‘Dickard?“

Everyone turned their gaze towards the front doors of the school but there was still no sign of Richie.

“Guess he‘s helping?“, Mike asked, looking doubtful about that idea himself.

“Sure, next thing he does is work in a shelter for the homeless“, Eddie retorted with such a tone that anyone who wouldn‘t have known Richie would have then. Just the idea was stupid enough. Maybe not as stupid as Richie though. They talked for a few more minutes about this and that when the front door opened with a bang and Richie Tozier jumped the steps in one go, stumbling but catching himself and skipped towards the waiting Losers. His mop of hair was out of control by the time he joined them, maybe it had been all day. It was senseless to ask him to readjust his clothes. To wear ones that might look good too.

Beverly was the best dressed of all of them, nice trousers, nice shirt, a leather jacket, she was definitely coolest as well, followed by Stan who dressed in fashion sense and extremely in order. Bill had more like a casual understanding of fashion, not quite going with the flow, not quite dressing like Ben and Eddie, who occasionally wore something more of style. Mike looked charming in whatever he wore. And Richie was a lost cause. He did look nice in some clothes he was given by Bill or Mike, but his own fashion sense just seemed to be nonexistent.

“How about being on time, next time?“ Eddie snapped, making it sound as if they had waited longer than they actually had, but Richie just gave him a doofy grin, crossing his eyes (he had, with time, thankfully, replaced his coke bottled glassed with a modest metallic model with slightly less illuminating glasses).

“Told Haystack we‘d wait for him in town, but ‘s still nice knowing you awaited me so desperately my sweet folk.“

Eddie mentally hit himself, of course it would backfire like this, but he only shot Richie a glare and tried to pass as fierce as if he wanted to throttle the idiot right then and there, Beverly intervened with just a short laugh (“Oh yes Richard it‘s only you who could move us so“) and took Richie by the wrist, leading him away towards the stores of Derry. The rest followed, Eddie pushing his sour mood away, enjoying the warm sunlight and the light breeze on their way, talking about the things they thought about buying.

Although they were looking hard and decidedly noone had found something actually worth their money when Ben found them an hour and a half later, Mike and Beverly again in an argument about throwing their money together. Bill and Eddie were looking at some writing and drawing pens and Richie and Stan were off to who knows where. With a soft “Hello“, Ben stood with Eddie and Bill, giving Beverly and Mike a short once over, and inspected some pens as well. After the argumenting voices started to change their octaves more repeatedly, Bill gave a sigh (groan) and left them there when he thought that the argument of Beverly and Mike just might have gotten a bit too emotional.

“What are you interested in pens for?“ Ben asked, he had found a really neat one, colored in dark blue that shimmered with a shine of yellow if you moved it. Ben couldn‘t figure the technique out of how someone would do something like that.

“Well I‘m not actually, just, there‘s nothing else interesting here.“ Eddie lay down the pencil he had in his hand. He gave a shrug.

“What kind is this one though? That looks like, a really fine one. I don’t know much about that stuff.“

Ben held it out for him. Eddie took it with a concentrated frown and moved it from side to side, watching the yellow shimmer.

“It‘s definitely a very neat one, how come something like this even exists in a dumpster store in Derry?“ He was still joking, but when Eddie caught sight of the price he gave an affronted noise. “No wonder there‘s only one, with that price! I‘m sorry Ben, but it’s not even worth that price, it‘s really none of my business how you invest your money, but at least wait a few days and I guess that the price will be lower. It‘s incredulous, almost five dollar for a simple, I‘m really sorry Ben“, Eddie knew of Bens knowledge and passion of writing “but an expensive pen is still a simple pen.“

Eddie lowered his voice, “It’s not even worth stealing, not that I would ever do that,”, Eddie looked shocked by just the thought, ”but you know, if you had that in mind. Noone should be that much of an idiot.“

Ben was still thankful, he didn‘t intend to steal the pen, but Eddie really tried to be a good friend and offer his advice, so he just nodded his head, “Don‘t you worry, if you guys wouldn’t hit me because I bought that pen, my mother surely would.“

Now, at that, everyone could have been fine if they just left the shop and took use of their common senses, which, in fact, not everyone did.

Richie had wandered off after hanging some time with Stan, because Stanley basically was boring when he talked about birds and Richie really couldn‘t find anything appealing in an aisle full of books but no comics.

If Stanley took notice, he gave no sign of it and probably didn‘t care either.

That‘s how Richie found himself wandering the store picking up things here and there, misplacing things everywhere too, until he heard Eddie and Ben talking about the pen in the next aisle.

It should be noted that he hadn‘t gotten all of the talk. So how was he supposed to know.

All that he heard, though, was Eddie saying “I guess if we threw our money together we could buy it, but that pen‘s still not worth it, it‘s way too expensive. Even if it is the most beautiful and skilled one. Let‘s go find the others and we‘ll search for something else.“ That got Richie thinking and contemplating (which is never really good (according to Eddie)) when there were footsteps as the two left to find the rest of the Losers. Richie snuck into the next aisle and studied the pens. He instantly saw the pen Eddie had meant and it was clear why Eddie would want the pen as well. Richie peeked at the price tag and gave a little ‘tut‘. It was indeed an unfair price for a simple pen.

Maybe it had been the sun, giving Richie a heatstroke, or maybe because Richie thought that a pen that expensive practically asked to be stolen (maybe it was because Richie thought Eddie was too shy to ask for money from the rest of the Losers even though he really wanted the pen).

Maybe it was Richies stupidity. (Most of the Losers would have agreed on that). Maybe it was because it was August. Nevertheless Richie decided to steal the pen.

It wasn‘t proper, he knew that, he was old enough, but when he slipped the pen inside his pockets, he definitely did not hear GOD cry out in vain and he sure as hell did not expect GOD to lose his cool because of a simple pen, a pen that had already been too expensive anyway. The owner of the shop had it coming.

’Deary me O’Father-o, please let the sins I do blow away like so’. Maybe if he did a small prayer it would not be too harsh on GODs trust in Richie Tozier. With this in mind and a very optimistic step Richie made his way towards the exit.

If it hadn‘t been for the shop keeper, who grabbed Richie (not hard, but firm) by the arm and raised a finger, Richie might have walked out a free man and also a slightly happier man for surprising Eddie with the pen.

“Now boy“, he thundered, as Richie stiffened and straightened as much as possible “I‘m going to ask you to be respectful here and hand the pen back over, you hear me?“

Even though Richies heartbeat felt as if it had increased by three times he went for playing dumb. “And I will politely decline, Sir. What pen is it you’re speaking of and what accusation do you playeth at, good Sir?“

The shift in the room was instantly, “The one in your pocket, I know who you are, you‘re the bratty Tozier boy, now if you hand back the pen I will consider not talking to your parents about this. If not, I’ll have to call the police and they will get you and put you into jail, you’re old enough by now I figure?”

Richie wanted to spit in his face, because he knew that the man would talk to the police anyway, and the police to his parents.

He didn’t spit in the mans face though.

Instead he shouted out: ”Ole me? Get ‘em good bloodhaunds too? Can hear ‘em sniffn’ already, that Blue’s a good dowg ain’t it?”

The grip on his arm only tightened and the man looked ready to shoot Richie himself. Richie considered running away, but the grip on his arm was impossible to rip away from by now.

“Okay.“, Richie simply said and his shoulders sacked. The man, letting go of Richie straightened ”Fine, but you’ll wait for the police with me” while he held his hand out expectantly.

Taking his shot, Richie whacked his own hand down as hard as possible, smacking the shop keepers hand out of the way, flipped the man the bird and bolted off. He thankfully had the moment of surprise on his side, as he ran out the store where his friends were waiting the second time this day.

“TallyHo! TallyHo my companions, off we go!“

It was the only thing he said as he rushed past them, down the street and didn‘t bother looking back for quite the while. Just when they neared the closest woods, Richie slowed and came to a halt.

”Daily dose of running from fuckers like that, check!”

Richie imitated ticking off something from an invisible list in his hand.

The Losers had caught up pretty quick, Stanley furious, Ben being especially red in his face and huffing, Eddie wheezing. The rest was reservedly annoyed.

“W-W-W“, Bill stopped shortly, panted some more, closed his eyes and took a final deep breath before starting again

“What. Did y-you. d-d-did you do n-now?“, his frown non too pleasent. Stan didn‘t care about any apology or explanation and walked to the next car, trying to fix his clothes with the help of his reflection. What Richie hadn’t seen was when he took off down the street, the Losers watched him in surprise, until the shop keeper came krakeeling and they all bolted off pretty quick after him. While doing so the man had wailed his hands and tried to grip at least one of them, catching the back of Stans shirt, keeping a good grip on it. Stan was furious. Mike had tackled the arm of the angry man and thankfully gave Stan a shove.

To everyones surprise Eddie had been the fastest, followed by Ben, but couldn’t catch up with Richie (that fucker had long legs). The longer they ran the more scared they got because of the sounds they heard from both boys. Now they just huffed and puffed.

“Oh just this and that, you know how those older people are, always onto something, because I don‘t breathe the right way, he told me he didn‘t do the deed in like a month because his wife was way too busy doin‘ ol‘ m-“

“Shut it!“, Eddie interrupted, still trying to catch his breath.

“Doing it with me and maybe I also stole something.“, Richie ended, acting much more relaxed than he felt (he was still shaking). Everyone groaned, Mike and Beverly the loudest of them all. Mike because he knew Beverly would use Richies doing to prove that they should have thrown their money together and Beverly because Richie was just that kind of dumb.

“Richie you can‘t just steal something! It‘s.. there are rules, you go to church, you know them“, Mike sounded more like a disappointed parent than an actual disappointed parent.

“Erh in fact, God didn‘t scream to me stop, also he‘s not going to piss his grandpa pants for”, he struggled for a word, ”this.” Beverly hit him on his forehead, “He didn‘t scream stop because he‘s going to judge you when you‘re dead, idiot.“

Bill had just shrugged his shoulders, he didn‘t care about what Richie stole and what not. He had went over to Stan and pointed out certain points where his shirt was sitting uneven. (He did so with a blush). The others were still busy shaking their heads at Richie.

“Was it at least something cool?“, Ben finally asked, earning a glare from Mike.

“He shouldn‘t even enjoy whatever he stole!“

“Mike I can‘t believe I‘m going to say this, but you‘re so right, I guess i should drown in shame, but just that we‘re clear I won‘t give it back.“, Richie touched his own chest and imitated a sob, “so“, he wiped away an actual tear and pulled the pen from his pocket, holding it toward his friends (Eddie).

“Someones gotta keep it. Edster what about you?“

The boy in question just rolled his eyes.

“Of course it had to be that pen. Why would you even want to steal that? Why not another, you lose all your shit anyway, why steal the most expensive one, one that will definitely be missed? Why do I even ask?“, he folded his arms in front of his chest,

“and get that away from me, I‘m not touching that.“

“It was pretty, it was too expensive, it practically asked to be stolen, so“, Richie gave a shrug,

“take it.“ He once again held the pen for Eddie to take.

“No.“, to which Richie clicked his tongue impatiently and lay the pen on the ground,

“Look, now it‘s as if you found it, that‘s not stealing, what if I give it to you?“

“Pretty sure that you can‘t gift something that is not yours anyway“, Beverly cut in, but she was giving him a shit eating grin.

Beverly was the only girl in their group. She always liked to hang out with boys more than with girls, girls were boring, she herself wasn’t boring, but unproblematic. That’s maybe why the boys had her with them anyway.

Richie didn’t like Beverlys grin, because she looked like someone who knew something that he didn’t.

“Eddie and I agreed that the pen wasn‘t even worth stealing, Richie“, Ben added, looking apologetic.

Beverly wanted to laugh out loud, but she stifled her laughter and turned to look at the ground so they couldn‘t see her face. She was sure that she knew well enough why Richie stole the pen. And suddenly she felt sorry for Richie, because he obviously was feeling more ashamed the minute, according to the redness on his face and neck. He had started to fidget,

“yeah okay, but you know whatever, just someone take it, if they find the evidence with me they‘ll take me to jail.“

Stan, who was finished fixing his outfit walked over with an annoyed glint in his eyes, “No they won‘t.“

“Yeah well, Ben you take the pen then“, Eddie said, “you wanted it in the first place.“

At that Richies mouth snapped shut and was pressed into a line while Beverly cackled at the sight and didn‘t stop giggling the following hour.

Richie truly was an idiot.

“So I mean, I‘m sure that it‘s better not to go back to town today, let‘s just go to the Barrens then“, Mike said hopefully, he didn‘t want to go home just yet.

It was barely noon and the weather was going towards hot, summer should end the next weeks, but not yet. He hoped for the cooler shade of the evening to walk back home. The others agreed, there really was nothing to be done in the town that wouldn‘t cause them any trouble now. Talk in Derry went around fast, by now the police must’ve been there. Derey wasn’t a big place. So when the Losers made their way down to the Barrens, Ben caught up with Richie.

“Would it really be okay if I take the pen? I mean to watch it for you?“

Richie heard he was nervous, trashing himself for not thinking a moment longer and connecting some dots that would have told him that Ben had wanted the pen. “Ah Haystack, don‘t you worry, no ill will, you can keep it.“

“B-But that pen really is-“

“I don‘t care, seems to me you‘re pretty interested in that pen, I couldn‘t care less then. What‘s a pen to me? Got no time to write anyway. You know the girls, I got them standing in a line on my front porch.“

Ben was speechless (he wanted to ask Richie why he stole the pen in the first place, if he indeed had no interest in writing), but Bill took his chance and walked past them, “I‘m sure of i-it“, he told Richie and smiled like only a dick could.

(Maybe not only Beverly was onto something).

To that Richie gave Bill a shove that had the boy stumbling down a ridge and into some bushes, arms flailing helplessly. There was a muffled sound of Bill landing and then nothing.

While Bill reemerged he was grumbling, hair ruined, leaves and sticks made it look like a birds nest, clothes dirty and his shirt sleeve was ripped at one place. Richie laughed heartedly and was once again his own annoyingly self.

“My, my, Bill! Seems to me you‘re perfectly dressed for a session of bird watching with our Stanny boy.“

Bill was murderous, but only for a second until Stan interrupted, “Even like that, Bill looks at least more presentable than you ever do.“

That got a laugh from everyone (“Yowza, Stan gets off a good one“).

Bills glare had turned from that of a serial killer watching his next victim to a simple dumbstruck menace. He turned around quickly (decidedly not looking at anyone) and walked off, the others following and still laughing.

**Author's Note:**

> The End, jk didn‘t want to finish with some bullshit ending.


End file.
